Revised DECS Policies on Accreditation and Deregulation

Policy and purpose statements

DECS adopts a policy to encourage and assist education institutions that seek to improve educational standards beyond the minimum required for recognition.
DECS promotes voluntary, non-governmental accreditation systems to assist DECS in the exercise of its regulatory functions.
DECS supports an environment that supports the non-governmental and voluntary character of accreditation and protects the integrity of the accreditation process.
DECS recognizes and authorizes the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) as the umbrella agency that certifies accredited program status for the grant of progressive deregulated status and other benefits.
FAAP standards must be superior to the minimum standards of DECS.

Coverage: levels and educational scope

These revised policies pertain to secondary and four-year tertiary level programs only.
Limited secondary-level accreditation equivalencies may be granted while accreditation for the secondary level remains limited.
Equivalencies to secondary accreditation apply when tertiary accreditation is current, subject to the specific conditions in the Order.

Definitions and classification of accreditation levels

Educational programs are classified into three (3) levels for purposes of progressive deregulation and the grant of other benefits.
Level I covers Applicant Status, referring to institutions/programs that have undergone a preliminary survey visit and are certified by FAAP as capable of acquiring accredited status within one or two years, and no special benefits are provided for Level I.
Level II covers Accredited Status, referring to institutions/programs that have been granted an initial accredited status by any FAAP member agency, whose status is certified by FAAP; for this Order, “accredited” refers to at least Level II.
Level III covers Reaccredited Status, referring to institutions/programs that have been reaccredited and have met additional criteria or guidelines set by FAAP for this level.
FAAP certifies and submits the list of Level III institutions/programs to DECS, which then issues certificates of deregulated status level to the schools.

Eligibility for DECS benefits

Recognition of an accrediting agency or group of accrediting agencies by DECS is an eligibility requirement solely for the grant of deregulated status and other benefits from the government.
To avail of deregulated benefits, accredited institutions/programs must be affiliated with duly recognized accrediting agencies under FAAP.
Recognition by DECS must not diminish or run counter to the private and voluntary character of accrediting agencies.
DECS may formulate with FAAP additional guidelines to ensure commonality in processes and standards among accrediting agencies and to avoid proliferation of accrediting agencies seeking DECS recognition.
Accrediting agencies seeking affiliation with FAAP and subsequently DECS recognition must satisfy these conditions:
- They must be nongovernmental bodies duly incorporated as special corporations under Title III of the Corporation Code of the Philippines.
- They must demonstrate independence in making judgments on accreditation status, policies, procedures, and criteria, and must have the capability and competence to conduct accreditation activities.
- Their policies, evaluative criteria, standards, and procedures must conform with generally accepted accrediting principles set forth by FAAP.
- They must publicly disclose their accrediting scope, evaluative criteria, procedures, and the academic and professional qualifications of members of their governing and technical bodies.
- They must submit their minimum academic standards for DECS review as endorsed by FAAP to ensure these standards exceed the minimum requirements.

Progressive deregulation benefits by status

The scheme for progressive deregulation and the grant of other benefits is enhanced under this Order, building on the existing framework referenced in the Order.
Accredited and reaccredited status receive different benefits under the progressive deregulation scheme.
Accredited Status (Level II) benefits include:
- Partial administrative deregulation, which includes authority to:
  - Graduate students from accredited secondary and tertiary programs without prior DECS approval and without need for Special Orders; and
  - Grant overload in meritorious cases, among other related administrative capacities.
- Partial curricular autonomy, which includes authority to:
  - Revise curricula without DECS approval if minimal DECS requirements and guidelines are complied with and the revised curriculum is submitted to DECS.
- Curriculum waivers are without prejudice to specific subject requirements expressly stipulated by professional regulatory boards.
Reaccredited Status (Level III) benefits include:
- Full administrative deregulation, with reporting limited essentially to:
  - Reports of promotion of students; and
  - Lists of graduates.
- Curricular deregulation, including authority to:
  - Offer new degree courses allied to existing Level III courses without need for prior approval of the curriculum or the grant of permit/recognition by DECS.

Secondary-level accreditation equivalencies

Benefits of accreditation may be extended to secondary level programs under limited secondary accreditation conditions.
Where tertiary accreditation is used to extend secondary benefits:
- If at least three (3) of the basic programs at the tertiary level are accredited with Level II status, benefits of accreditation are extended similarly to the secondary level program of comparable level as long as the tertiary accreditation status is current.
Where NCEE performance is used to extend benefits:
- Where there is proven outstanding NCEE performance over a given period of time, benefits of accreditation may be enjoyed for not more than five (5) years.
- For this purpose, DECS makes available the ranked list of NCEE performance of such high schools.

Effectivity and repeals/rescissions

The Order takes effect at the start of school year 1993-94.
The Order repeals specified Bureau of Private Schools Circulars and memoranda, and repeals provisions of MECS and DECS Orders and rules referenced in the Order.
Benefits for accredited programs previously granted and still current at the time this Order takes effect must continue to be maintained.
The maintenance of previously granted benefits must not prevent later extension of comparable benefits to non-accredited educational institutions.
Other existing issuances contrary to or inconsistent with this Order are rescinded.